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CSL 4021 7-04-94
Chicago Surface Lines "Blue Goose" PCC car 4021 (St Louis 1936 order 1602) @Illinois Railway Museum, Union IL 7-04-94
This is the only remaining Chicago prewar PCC just as 4391 is the only remaining postwar Chicago PCC. It is also one of the very few anachronisms at IRM. (maybe the only one-I'm not sure).
When the prewar PCC's were built, they were two-man cars with a Peter Witt boarding arrangement. One entered through the triple stream front doors, the conductor stood in front of the double-stream center doors. One paid him as one passed him, either to exit the center doors or to take a seat at the rear of the car where there was a single exit door. In the early 50's, the "Blue Geese" were converted to one-man cars, one of the center exit doors was removed, they were painted in Everglades Green and cream, and sent to the Cottage Grove line. The 4021 survived by being part of CTA's historic collection until 1985 when it was donated to IRM, still in Everglades Green. IRM did a fantastic job at restoring it to the original paint scheme--but it still has the single center exit that it did in one-man service.
Chicago's PCC's, both prewar and postwar, were larger than almost every other owner's (Pacific Electric's may have been bigger.) They were so large that they were built with the trucks off-center so they could clear the space between the tracks. They were also all built as 2 man cars with hand controls.
CSL 4021 7-04-94
Chicago Surface Lines "Blue Goose" PCC car 4021 (St Louis 1936 order 1602) @Illinois Railway Museum, Union IL 7-04-94
This is the only remaining Chicago prewar PCC just as 4391 is the only remaining postwar Chicago PCC. It is also one of the very few anachronisms at IRM. (maybe the only one-I'm not sure).
When the prewar PCC's were built, they were two-man cars with a Peter Witt boarding arrangement. One entered through the triple stream front doors, the conductor stood in front of the double-stream center doors. One paid him as one passed him, either to exit the center doors or to take a seat at the rear of the car where there was a single exit door. In the early 50's, the "Blue Geese" were converted to one-man cars, one of the center exit doors was removed, they were painted in Everglades Green and cream, and sent to the Cottage Grove line. The 4021 survived by being part of CTA's historic collection until 1985 when it was donated to IRM, still in Everglades Green. IRM did a fantastic job at restoring it to the original paint scheme--but it still has the single center exit that it did in one-man service.
Chicago's PCC's, both prewar and postwar, were larger than almost every other owner's (Pacific Electric's may have been bigger.) They were so large that they were built with the trucks off-center so they could clear the space between the tracks. They were also all built as 2 man cars with hand controls.